Fire-escape



.(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

E. W. KELLEY.

FIRE ESCAPE.

a gented Jan.23,1883.

.3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I (No Model.)

B. W. KELLEY.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Jari.23,1883.

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3 Shets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

E. W. KELLEY.

I FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 270,902. Patented Jan.23, 1883.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OF IC EDWARD W. KELLEY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPEGTFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,90?, dated January 23, 1883.

Application filed September 16, 1882. (No model.)

; tlon.

My invention relates to a jointed fire-ladder, means for extending and guiding the same, means for winding up the same, and means for locking and unlocking the joints of the same.

in the accompanying drawings, on three sheets, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fireescape; Fig. 2, a central vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, avertical longitudinal section of the carriage through the guide; Fig. 4, a plan of my machine.

A is a stout frame, preferably of iron, supporting the working parts of the fire-escape, and intended to be supported upon a truck, as large portable fire-escapes are commonly used. The side rails of the ladder B are made in short sections B, cast'of malleable iron or direct steel, and for lightness cored out, the ends of the same being rounded and halved together, as shown, and the ends ofone section being pivoted to the ends of the next section by pivots D. The rounds E are not secured directly to the side rails, but to sleeves E, which surround the side rails, and which, being slipped down over the pivots D, lock or stifi'en the joints between the sections B, and cause said sectionsto lie in the same plane. The rounds E, being connected to the sleeves, furnish a means of locking and unlocking the opposite joints simultaneously, and the weight of a person ascending the ladder will cause the joints to 'be more firmly locked. Thesleeves are prevented from slipping down past the joint by striking the projections or teeth F on said sec- The rounds E should be made of wrought-iron pipe to secure strength and lightness. The upper portion, B or section of the ladder, when used for a fire-escape, maybe,

say, ten feet long, and have its rounds secured to the side rails directly, in the usual manner.

It will be seen that this ladder, with the exception of the upper section, can be rolled or folded after lifting the sleeves above the joints. When the ladder is not in use the lower jointed section may be rolled up on the cylinder G by turning the latter, the lower end of the ladder being secured by wrought-iron straps G to the cylinder. The cylinder Gr may be revolved by the band G which passes around the pulley G secured to the shaft of said cylinder, and around the pulley H on the shaft or screw H, the latter being turned by a crank, H When the ladderis wound up the long top section, B is unlocked by hand (by raising the sleeve E at its foot) and allowed to lie in the position shown in-Fig.3. This is to prevent the ladder striking telegraph-wires or other overhead obstructions in the streets.

The ladder is raised or extended by the'revolution of two screws, I I, into which theteeth F of the ladder take, and it is lowered by reversing the motion of the screws. The teeth F are held in the thread of the screws by guides K, which are shaped to fit a rib, K, cast or formed on the back of each of the side rails. The screws I l are held in a vertical or nearly vertical position by the brackets l I, which contain or form the upper bearing for said screws, the steps or lower bearings of the same being in the carriages L L. The screws I I are provided near their lower ends with spur-gears M M. Each gear M M takes into a spur-gear, N N. The gears N N turn on vertical studs 0 O, driven into the tops of the carriages L L. A miter-gear, P P, is secured to the upper side of each gear N N, and turns with said gear N N, and takes into a miter-gear, P P. Each miter-gear P P is provided with a feather, which slides in a longitudinal groove in the shaft Q. The shaft Q is revolved by turning the shaft or screw H by means of the crank 11?, the shaft Q being provided with a spurgear, Q, which takes into a spur-gear, H on saidshaft H.

The ladder gradually grows wider from top to bottom, as other ladders do, and therefore it is necessary that the screws should recede.

from and approach each other as the ladder is raised or lowered.

As already'stated, the guides and screws are supported upon the carriages L L. Both carriages L L are secured to the same dovetail ways, (said ways being supported transversely on the frame,) so as to slide on said ways L. Each carriage is provided with a nut, L, which projects from the under side ladder, is used to guide the ladder and keep it clear of obstructions overhead, such as telegraph-wires, corn'ices, and'projections on buildings. This rope runs over the sheaves X X, secured to the frame A, and onto the drum W. This sheaveX turns in hearings in the strips V V,'which may be extended or drawn from the front of the machine to get a better purchase on the ladder. The pieces V V, when drawn out, are held in place by the cams or eccentrics U U, secured on a shaft, U, turning in thet'rame of themachine, and this shaft is turned by a hand-wheel, U The roller \/V is turned to wind up the rope T, when the ladder is wound on the cylinder, by pushing the roller (V with the hand or foot. The rope is used by hand,and the roller is merely to stow away the rope.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the ladder formed in sections pivoted together, and sleeves adapted to slide over the pivoted ends of two such adjacent sections, and to hold such adjacent sections in line with each other, and the rounds connecting said sleeves in pairs, as specified.

2. The combination of the ladder B, provided with teeth F, the screws I I, and means for rotating said screws, as and tor the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the screws I I, provided with spur-gears M M, the spur-gears N N, the miter-gears P P, the miter-gears P P, and means of rotating the same, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the'ladder B, having converging side rails, B, and provided with teeth F, projecting from said rails, the screws I I, means of rotating the same, and'means of causing the distance between said screws to vary as the space between those portions of said side rails from time to time engage with said screws, as and for the purpose specified. 5. The com bination of the ladder having side rails, B, which converge toward each other, and teeth F, projecting from said rails, the screws I I. means of rotating said screws, carriages L L, adapted to support said screws, and means of causing said carriages to approach and recede from each other, as and fo the purpose specified. I

6. Thecombination of the ladder havingside rails, B, which converge toward each other, and teeth F, projecting from said rails, the screws I 1, means of rotating said screws, the carriages L L, adapted to support said screws I I, and provided with nuts L the ways L,

the right-and-left-hand screw H, and means for rotating the same, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination ofthe sheave X, its supports V V, the shaft U,the cams U U, secured to said shaft, and means of rotating said shaft, as and for the purpose specified.

EDWARD W. KELLEY.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, JAMES EVANS. 

